Collapsible luggage carrier



Jan. 23, 1928.

F. M. STOLL.

C OLLAPSlBLE LUGGAGE CARRIER.

HLED AUG-1| 1921.

x a w w sum M Patcnte mla.

FRANK M. STOLL, OF DENVER, COLOBAJDU.

- COLLAPSIIBLE LUGGAGECARRIER.

I Application filed August 1, 1921. serial No. teases.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that 1, 1mm; M. S'roLL, a V citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Denver, county of Denver, State of Colorado, have invented certain and new useful Improvements in Collapsible Luggage Carriers, of which the following is a clear, full, and exact description,

such as will enable others skilled in the art towhich itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, and to the figures of ref* erence thereon, which forms a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in collapsible luggage carriers of the type adapted tobe'clamped to the running board ofan automobile, and has for its principal objectthe provision of luggage carrier of Zothis type, which will extend but. slightly belowsaid running board so that there will be no tendency for it to strike obstructions protruding from the road.

Another object is to provide a luggage carrier that may fold parallel to and along side of the running board of an automobile when not in use so that it will be entirely out of the way.

Still another object is to so construct the so luggage carrier that it may be raised to any height desired under its maximum height and will rigidly retain itself at this height. A further object of the invention resides in the details of construction whereby the at carrier is rigidly braced against movement in any direction. l Withthese and other objects in view the invention will now be described in. detail, with reference to the accompanying draw to ing. i

j n this drawing, 7 r a 1 Figure. 1 is a side elevation of the invention attached to the running board of an automobile.

Fi ure 2 is a side elevation of the same .ShOWlIlg thejcarrier only partially open.

Figure 3 (is an enlarged cross: sectional view taken on the line 33, Figure 1. Figure 4: is a partial plan view taken at i the end of thecarrier showing how the end gates are pivoted to the carrier proper.

Figure 5 is an enlarged end view of the gg g carrier in its collapsed or folded position.

Figure 6 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 6-45, Figure 8, with the running board removed.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following specifications and indicated in all views of the accompanying drawings by the same reference characters.

Let the numeral 8 designate the luggage carrier in its entirety, consisting of a plurality of longitudinal bars 9, channel shaped in cross section. The bars 9 are held in spaced relation to each. other by means of two sets of lazy tongs 10 and 11. The longitudinal bars are pivoted. to lazy tongs 10 and 11 at the points of intersection of the bars thereof.

. j Two of the bars in each set of lazy tongs are relatively longer than the other bars therein, and intersect at point outside otthe lazy tongs proper. These" points of intersection are designated by the numerals 12 and 13. As the points of intersection 12 and 13 have a horizontal motion in addition to their pivotal, motion, as the carrier 8 is raised and lowered, the pivot pins thereof are slidably mounted in slots 14 and 15, respectively formed in one of the horizontal bars9." j The object of these longer bars and their bearing slots is torigidly brace the carrier 8 against horizontal movement while allowing it freedom toinove vertically.

The lowermost point of intersection of each lazy tongslO and 11 is pivoted to clamps 16 as shown at 17 adapted to be clamped to the running board of an automobile. v

Clamps 16 are composed of a hollow frame 18 which. extends upward and forward forming the upper jaw of the clamp, and downward and outward to support the pivotal points 17 of the lazy tongs:

The lower jaw 19 of clamp 16 consists of asolid l. shaped bar, the horizontal leg forming the jaw proper, the vertical leg being slidably mounted in the hollow, verioo ticalportion. of the frame 18. Through the center of the vertical leg and parallel wlth its length a threaded hole 20 is formed.

bolt 21 passes downward through the top of frame 18 and engages in the threaded hole 10% in the upright leg of lower jaw 19. lt w ll be readily seen that upon turning the bolt 21 the lower jaw ofthe clamp 16. can be the road and obstructions thereon when the wheels of the automobile are in deep ruts. It was to overcome this objection that the bolt head was placed above the running board.

Pivoted to each of the clamps 16 are ver tical braces 22. Braces 22 are L shaped in cross section, the two legs of the L being folded together at their upper extremities as shown at 23 and are pierced by bolts 24: upon which are threaded wing nuts 25.

v The two edges of the channel shaped upper bar 9 are turned inward forming a slot along which the. bolts 2% travel, held therein by means of the bolt heads 26. This slot extends the length'ot' the bar between the lazy tongs supports as indicated in broken lines in Figure 2.

Thelower extremities of braces 22 are I broadened out at the axis of the pivot as shown at 27 Figure 3. This forms a wide base for the braces, and causes them to r gidly resist any'side pressure put on the carrier 8. v

Each end of the carrier is provided with an end gate 28 consisting of horizontal bars 29 which arep'iv'oted to the extremities of horizontal bars/9 The bars 29 are channel shaped in cross section and are adapted to nest within the bars 9 when the carrier is collapsed, as shown in Figure 5.

Toggle arms 30 are placed between the extremities of the horizontal bars '29 to prevent luggage from falling between said bars.

he luggage carrier may be collapsed from the position shown in Figure 1 to that of Figure 5 in the following manner :The horizontal ba'rs 29 of both end gates 28 are folded within horizontal bars 9. Thumb nuts '25 at. the upper extremities of both braces 22 are loosened. Said extremities are th'en' dr'a'wn towards each other, as indicated in Figure 2, the bolts2 l traveling along the slot in the top longitudinal bar 9. By tightening the nuts 25 any desired height will be maintained. As the upper extremities of the braces-22 approach each other, the lazy tongs close and bring the horizontal bars El/together. In the fully collapsed position the horizontal bar's are together and resting on the outward projecting portion of clamp case 18. The projectingextremities 12 and 13 ofthe lazy tongs are now at the inner terminals of theslotsl t and 15, the bars of the -azy ,tongs are folded against each other;

and fthe braces 22 lie along the top [of the mating board parallel with the top hori' zontal bar 9. The thumb nuts 25 may now be tightened and the whole device rigidly locked in the collapsed position, so that there will be no rattle from the vibration of the automobile.

If desired the bolts 21 may now be loosened, thus releasing the lower jaws 19 of the clamps 16 from the running board and the complete carrier removed from the automobile.

Having thus described my invention. what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A luggage Carrier for automobiles co1nprising a series of horizontal bars adapted to move vertically and held in spaced relation by lazy tongs; means for causing said lazy tongs to resist endwise mlovement of said horizontal bars; clamps adapted to grip the running board of an automobile and. pivotally connected with the lower extremities of said lazy tongs; braces pivoted to said clamp and adapted to hold said lazy tongs in an extended position and to resist sidewise movement of said horizontal bars.

2. A luggage carrier for automobiles comprising a series of horizontal bars adapted to move vertically and held in spaced relation by lazy tongs; means for causing said lazy tongs to resist endwise movement of said horizontal bars; clamps adapted to grip the running board of an automobile and pivotally connected with the lower cxtremities of said lazy tongs; braces pivoted to said clamp and adapted to hold said lazy tongs in an extended position and to resist sidewise movement of said horizontal bars; end gates pivotally connected to each extremity of said horizontal bars and adapted to fold therein.

3. A luggage carrier for automobiles comprising horizontal bars held in spaced relation by lazy tongs, said lazy tongs adapted to brace said horizontal bars against endwise movement; a clamp adapted to grip the running board of an automobile pivotally connected to said. lazy tongs, said clamp comprising a lower and upper jaw; means for operating said jaws from a point above said running board.

4. A luggage carrier for automobiles comprising .1. series of horizontal bars held in spaced relation by means of lazy tongs; means for bracing said horizontal bars against endwise and sidewise movement; clamps pivoted to the lower extremities of said lazy tongs and adapted to grip the running board of an automobile, said clamps comprising a fixed upper jaw and frame with a movable lower jaw slidably mounted therein, said lower jaw being actuated by means of a bolt threaded therein and extending out through said upper law.

5. A luggage carrier for automobile running boards comprising a series of horizontal 1,442,914: a l H bars held in spaced relation by means of vertical lazy tongs; means for bracing said horizontal bars against endwise movement consisting of running two bars of said lazy tongs to a point of intersection exteriorly of said tongs, said point of intersection being sldably mounted upon one of said horizontal bars; means attached to said lazy tongs for connecting said carrier to an automobile running boa-rd 6. A luggage carrier for automobiles comprising horizontal bars held in spaced relation by Vertical pairs of lazy tongs;means for maintaining said lazy tongs vertical;

clamps pivotally attached to said lazy tongs and adapted to attach to the runningboard of an automobile; means for maintaining said lazy tongs in theirextended position, said means consisting of braces pivoted at their lower extremities to said clamps, having their upper extremities slidably mounted in the upper bar of said horizontal bars; means for locking said upper extremities at any desired point on said upper bar.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature. 25

FRANK M. STOLL. 

